The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

And we ought—we who are strong—to bear the weaknesses of the powerless, and not to please ourselves;

for let each one of us please the neighbor for good, for edification,

for even the Christ did not please Himself, but according as it has been written: “The reproaches of those reproaching You fell on Me”;

for as many things as were written before, for our instruction were written before, that through the endurance, and the exhortation of the Writings, we might have the hope.

And may the God of the endurance, and of the exhortation, give to you to have the same mind toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,

that with one accord—with one mouth—you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Christ the Servant of Jews and Gentiles

for this reason receive one another, according as also the Christ received us, to the glory of God.

And I say Jesus Christ to have become a servant of circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises to the fathers,

and the nations for kindness to glorify God, according as it has been written: “Because of this I will confess to You among nations, and to Your Name I will sing praise”;

and again it says, “Rejoice you nations, with His people”;

and again, “Praise the LORD, all you nations; and laud Him, all you peoples”;

and again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, and He who is rising to rule nations—on Him will nations hope”;

and the God of the hope will fill you with all joy and peace in the believing, for your abounding in the hope in power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

And I am persuaded, my brothers—I myself also—concerning you, that you yourselves also are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge, also able to admonish one another;

and the more boldly I wrote to you, brothers, in part, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me by God,

for my being a servant of Jesus Christ to the nations, acting as priest in the good news of God, that the offering up of the nations may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

I have, then, a boasting in Christ Jesus, in the things pertaining to God,

for I will not dare to speak anything of the things that Christ did not work through me, to obedience of nations, by word and deed,

in power of signs and wonders, in power of the Spirit of God; so that I, from Jerusalem, and in a circle as far as Illyricum, have fully preached the good news of the Christ;

and so counting it honor to proclaim good news, not where Christ was named—that on another’s foundation I might not build—

but according as it has been written: “To whom it was not told concerning Him, they will see; and they who have not heard, will understand.”

For this reason, also, I was hindered many times from coming to you,

Paul’s Travel Plans

(1 Corinthians 16:5–9)

and now, no longer having place in these parts, and having a longing to come to you for many years,

when I may go on to Spain I will come to you, for I hope in going through, to see you, and by you to be set forward there, if of you first, in part, I will be filled.

And now, I go on to Jerusalem, ministering to the holy ones;

for it pleased Macedonia and Achaia well to make a certain contribution for the poor of the holy ones who [are] in Jerusalem;

for it pleased well, and their debtors they are, for if the nations participated in their spiritual things, they ought also, in the fleshly things, to minister to them.

This, then, having finished, and having sealed to them this fruit, I will return through you, to Spain;

and I have known that coming to you—in the fullness of the blessing of the good news of Christ I will come.

And I call on you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in the prayers for me to God,

that I may be delivered from those not believing in Judea, and that my ministry, that [is] for Jerusalem, may become acceptable to the holy ones;

that in joy I may come to you, through the will of God, and may be refreshed with you,

and the God of peace [be] with you all. Amen.

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”(a)

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,

that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ the Servant of Jews and Gentiles

Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you,(b) to the glory of God.

Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.”(c)

Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”(d)

Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”(e)

Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”(f)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers,(g) that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

But I write the more boldly to you in part as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God,

that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.

For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.”(h)

Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,

Paul’s Travel Plans

(1 Corinthians 16:5–9)

but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,

whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in material things.

When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

(a)15:3 ℘ Psalms 69:9

(b)15:7 TR reads “us” instead of “you”

(d)15:10 ℘ Deuteronomy 32:43

(e)15:11 ℘ Psalms 117:1

(f)15:12 ℘ Isaiah 11:10

(g)15:14 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(h)15:21 ℘ Isaiah 52:15